Prussing



AUTOMATIC TUBE FINISHING AND ADVANCING MACHINE Original Filed March 28, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

Walter Prussz'ng' BY E TORNEY May 21, 1935. w. PRUSSING Re. 19,578

AUTOMATIC TUBE FINIS HING AND ADVANCING MACHINE Original Filed March 28. 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 INVENTOR. Walter Prussing Y Y w. PRUSSING Re. 19,578

AUTOMATIC TUBE FINISHING AND ADVANCING MACHINE- 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed March 28, 1931 V v J IN V EN T OR. g/a1 ter Prussmg A TORNEY Reiuued May 21, 1935 AUTOMHIG TUBE FINISHING AND --ADVANCING-MACHINE Walter Pressing, BrooklymN; Y.,' assignor to Victor Metal Products Corporation, Brooklyn,

N. Y.,' acol'poration or New York Original No. 1,010,712, dated May as, 1933, Serial No. 526,025, March 28,- 193L AD}! Iication for reissue 12, 1934, ScriaINm-IDGAII 30*Claims. -(Cl."29'--3B) H invention relates machines wherein .lthin metal collapsible tubes areautomatically T mounted, then trimmed, threaded and dimountedfrom the machineior further Maehines have been known which have vari- Stations at which the trimming operations operation there- .ubonfthetube are automatically-performed, and I 'at which thethreading operation for the neck of i templates the provision of means for discon charging the trimmed and threaded tube from thetube is similarly performed. My invention I anism for trimming the=neck andthe open end of =the-tube on one of the mandrels while a tube isbeing fed to the precedingmandrel; mechanism forthreadingrthe trimmed neck of a tube on-the succeeding mandrel, and mechanism for straightening and dismounting the trimmed and threadedgil besfrom the, remaining mandrel.

After flieltubes havezbeen formed in a suitable extruding press not shown, they may-be dischargerb from the press'on to asuitable conveyer fim ;.belt--,I2 (Figs. 1- and 2) suitably operated and machine automatically for further operating thereon, as well as for automatically delivering- QthQtubes continuously to the machine and for various objects of my invention will be .clear 'irom the description which follows. and mi -from@e drawings. in which Fig. 1, is a top plan. view of my improved-machine, the front of the machine appearing at-the uton tthe fi re.

,2 is a rear elevation of the same.

.n eiim...

1359., {is an end view of the right end of Figs. 1

M30 line 5-5 of Fig. 2. y

. avertical section, taken on-the line F1;- 1' is a tront elevation of the operating rod -itqriswinging' the trimming cutter.

mounting the tubes on a mandrel at one of the Hg. {is an-end view of part of the'driving the stop IS, the tubes arranging themselves be selsaisimilar' view and partial section.

guided-as by means of the belt pulleys I3 and I4. Bide-gmrds as I5-and l6 serve to prevent the tubes from leaving-the belt and guide-said tubes. who tubes are thereby continuouslysupplied, in .15 their properlongitudinal arrangemmt with the necksthereof forward, toward the inclined supporting plate l'l. utrranged rearwardly of said supporting plate and in-the path of the advancing tubes is the discharge plate l 8, angularly disposed. to the movingbelt insuch a manner that the tube as it is forwarded bythe belt against the plate 18, is gradually forced off-said belt on tothe-in- 'clined plate". Thetubes, in succession, roll ;by gravity toward the frent'end of said plate against tween the upstanding guards 20 and II andlin parallel relationpwith-theneoks, of the tubes all mfjlto 12 inclusive are sectional viewsof mandrel and of-the tube supported-thereon,

" .-,L-sh'nwind various steps in the operation of trim-J ming and threading the tube, including mount- .ingv thetube on the mandrel, trimming the tube,"

ftbneadihg the neck thereof, straightemngthe in-- ,dehtdi'part thereof, and dismounting it from the 11M is wellhnown-in the art;-m forfeeding .the'tuhes'on' toan intermittently roseam turret lean'ying revoluble mandrels; mechbemounted upon a stand as Ill, and

r practical embodiment of my invention" maynovrbe mounted upon the intermittently rotatable turret R3. Said turret is mounted-in-the casing 24 forming part of the frame of the machine and carries a multiplicity of identical mandrels as 25; 26, Hand-'28. Eachof saidmandrels,., -.terminates in'asthreaded tipla andis of less diameter than the'interior diameter of the tube. The tube 22 is mounted upon the continuously rotating-mandrel 25, while the turret is arrest, by the reciprocation of=the mmmting rod ll, the end 3l'of which engages theend al o! the tube and slides said tubetlongitudinally, ofl the'plate -=i'l:and onto the mandrel which at this time is "aligned with the tube. 1

'Whe'n the;neck 3301' the tube reaches the, rotating threaded tip-29"0f, the mandrel, the tip cuts into the interior surface of the neck, the tube being prevented from rotatingat this time by the pressure on the end thereof exerted by'the rodill. Saidroihoweven releases the- -mbe asseon-ais tht tipl'ias eutits .way sumciently intaetheneck 33-of-the tube toagrip. mid tube :ilrmly. The rod'illis then reciproeated toward theright; as viewed in Figs. Land 2, ready for thefeeding-ofthe next'tube. It will be seen-that said rod prevents the succeeding tube in the row from interfering with the mounting operation of the last tube. On the withdrawal of the mounting rod, the next tube of the row together with the remaining tubes roll down along the plate II' prises the disc crank 34 mounted on the shaft- 25 and driven in a manner soon to be described. Pivoted to the crank 34, as at one end 35, is the link '21, which is secured at its other end 58 to the rod 39. Said rod 39 is slidable in a suitable bearing 4|), secured to the frame of the machine as by means of the arm 4|.

To the rod 39 is secured, as by means of the connecting member 45, the parallel rod' 42' which is also supported in suitable bearings, as 43 .and 44 depending from the frame, The mounting rod 35 is in'turnadjustably secured to the rod 42, as by meansof the connecting member 45, which is adjustablysecured to the rod 42 as by means of a suitable clamp. It will be seen that on rotation of the disc crank 24, the link 31 is reciprocated, thereby reciprocating the rods 39 and 42,

and the mounting rod 30 as a unit, at the proper time to push the tube 22 on to theproper man drel 25. Y

The crank 34 is rotated by means of the bevel gear 48 on the shaft 25, which gear meshes with the bevel gear 49 (Figs. 3 and on the shaft 50. On said shaft 55 is also mountedthe gear a wheel 5|, which meshes with the gear wheel 52 on thershaft 58. t On saldshaft 53 is also mounted the pulley 54 drivenby the belt 55 from the pulley 55 on the upper shaft 51. The shaft 51 is in turn rotated by the-pulley 58 thereon, which is driven by the belt 59 from the motor pulley 50. 'Said motor pulley, as shown in Fig. 2, is driven by a suitable motor as 6|. It will be seen that the motor 5| may rotate continuously j and thereby drives the shaft 51 and throughthe belt 55, drives the shaft'53 andthe gear 52 thereon, which in turn rotates the gear wheel 5| and the bevel gear 49 on the shaft 50, and through the bevel gear 48 rotates the crank disc 34 to reciprocate the rod 30 at the proper time.

fit

The means for intermittently rotating the turret 23 through the proper angle which in this case is an angle of 90, to bring the various mandrels in succession to the various stations, is as follows: i 1 I As has been previously explained, the turret 23 is revolubly mounted in the casing 24. Mounted coaxially of and connected to said turret is the mutilated gear 82 adapted to mesh with the mutilated gear 88 on the shaft 50. a

It will be seen that on the rotation of said shaft 50, the mutilated gear 63 drives the corresponding mutilated gear 62 to rotate the turret intermittently from station to station. The looking arm I50 enters the,v notch i 5| at the proper- I are so rotated through thebelt B4 driven by the pulley 55 on the shaft 51. Said belt 54 is tensioned by the idler pulleys 8G and B'Lthe belt the machine.

being passed between the idler pulley 6'! and the pulley 58. The idler pulley in turn drives the.

mandrel 28- by the engagement thereof with the mandrel pulley 69 mounted coaxially of the mandrel 28. The belt 64 also engages the pulleys I0, ll and I2 and rotates said pulleys in the direction opposite to that in which the pulley 89 is rotated, and thereby rotates the mandrels 25, 26 and 21 in the direction opposite to that in which the mandrel 28 is rotated.

It will be understood that on the rotation of the turret, thevarious mandrels, which are identical in construction, are brought in succession to the various stations, so that the numerals aptube 22.

Normally, the neck end trimming tool I10, of the usual and well known construction, is drawn to its extreme position at the right as shown in v Fig. 1. Howevenas the mandrel with the tube mounted thereon is brought to the trimmingstation, the tool I is moved towards the left into position to trim the end 32 of the neck of the tube. 'Towardthis end, the tool I" is mounted on the 'reciprocatory T block ill of Fig. 4, which slides in a corresponding groove in the frame of The pin 112 (Fig. 2) projecting from said block enters a suitable cam groove in the cam I12 mounted on the shaft 55 and thereby reciprocates the T block at theproper time into and out of engagement with the end 32'of the tube to trim said end suiiiciently to expose the opening 14 in the neck of the tube.

While the tool ilil is trimming the tube at one end and thereby pressing the tube firmly on the mandrel, the trimming wheel vI5 cuts the tube to the proper length. Said trimming wheel or cutter I5 is revolubly supported as at on the lever 11, (Fig; 6), which is in turn pivoted as at 18 to the bracket 19. A rod 80 (Flgl'l) having a suitable cam recess 8| therein, is reciprocated in a direction parallel to the axis of the cutter 15 so as to swing the lever 'll about its pivot 78 and to bring the cutter 15 into contact with the tube to cut it. when the lever 11 rests on the unmutilated part of the rod 80, the cutter I5 is withdrawn but when said rod is reciprocated into position wherein the cam recess 8| is directly below the lever 11, the lever drops into said recess and swings the cutter against the tube. The reciprocation of the rod Bll is effected by connecting said rod to the reciprocatory T block l'll It will be understood that the timing of the connections is such that the cutter I5 does not begin its trimming action until after the trimming tool I'll! has exerted its full pressure upon the end of the tube, whereby the end 82 of the tube is cut into proper circular form and the tube is made accurately of the proper length. The trimming operation indents the tube slightly as shown in Fig. 10, but the tube is straightened later and the indent re-' moved as will be later described.

After the trimming operation has been completed, the turret is rotated into the next station wherein the threading operation, (Fig. 11), upon a neck of the tube is performed, in a manner Min mum-me an asby the threading rolls m rotatod'by' the rotating tube on 1m,and wnlenare mkintamed in the mums relation-by the gears 85, 86 and 41.

5 lllio flils an mounted upon suitable levers and Irwbrmally out of engagement withlhe neck but are moved into operative posillllll li H F "which-are well known'in the art (f lm which necd'not be further described. a a I station, the roll I, carried by nsurer 'nofinally sprlng-pulled by'the flbi whioh the tube may be-trsnsferrod to any H u r :H such as'a printing or enamelling machine;- or a machine for further forwardmorotbsrwise operating upon the tube. V The 01mm Wis secured as by means of the screws I iome'leveru which is in turn loosely mounted on the shaft 95.- The arm ll terminates the M and-cylindrical portionfl'h-in which a suitable substantially semi-cylindri- 1W1! oi' comparatively soft material, managing the tube on the mandrel 28 and Wing said tube. I may be made of leather, cloth =01 other suitable soft and yieldable material idlpild to engage and press upon the tube, without danger of injury thereto' or deformation "11m ilhaft'flls straight and of sumcient length loll nt of the lever 94 as a unit along and lelatl'voly totbe shaft to perform the dis operation. The left end or extension 48 8C laid-shaft, however, is bent forwardly of on'which the lever is mounted, and is W by suitable bearings 96 upstanding mm frame of the machine. Iirwill be seen bf the extension'mll in the bearings @308 the lever 94' to engage and disengage the melihi' fl wlth and fmmthe tube onthe man- Mlplhe shaft-ll serving as'a crank for that -mmeans for rocking the shaft end I00 comm t! crank "I secured to said shaft and pulled by the spring 99 in the proper n to rotate the shaft I" in a countermuirootion. as viewed-in Fig. 6 and to mihomombor "into engagement with the W1; ms crank III is oscillated in turn, through flleu fll-sccured at its lower end M3 to the Hak m is pivoted at I05 to a suitable W iextending from the frame of the maman ood which terminates in the cam roller lllhigaging-tbc cam I08 on the shaft 50. The roller lflbeing normally on the high part of the who-member 94 is normally maintained out Eminent with the tube. On rotation of the ldfl ilyhowever, the roller Illl drops to the M of the cam under theinfluenceof the *W! at the proper time to rock the lever I04 In ecanter-clockwise direction, thereby osofllflflg the crank it! through the link 102 m the-extension!" is oscillated and the I. came: the lever 94 into tube engaging mam be noted that the end we of the lever H mid as at llil to encompass the rod ill C Gamma rocking movement of the lever may be performed without removing the and! from therodlli. l YY Said end Hi9, while loose on the nod Hl,.movcs with said rod, being maintained at a predetermined point along said rod by means of suitable collars H2 secured to the rod on each side of the lever. It will be seen that on longitudinal movement of the rod H i, the lever is carried by said rod alternately the proper distance to .the. right and to the left asviewed in Figs. land 2.

When moved towards the right, the spring '39 is allowed to become effective to oscillate 'the shaft I00 and bring the member 98 into frictional engagement with the tube, and whcreafterlthe movement of the rod iii serves to dismount the tube from the mandrel 28. Prior to the movement of the rod Ill toward the left, the roller lll'l is on the high part ofthe cam lllandzthe lever 94 is thereby oscillated to remove the member 98 from its engagement with the tube. The link H3 connects the rod iii to the parallel rod H4 which is suitably mounted on the bracket I06 movement of the rod HI.

The rod H4 is reciprocated by means of the link H5 secured at one end to said rod and at its other end to the parallel rod 1 I which slides in the bracket ill. The rod H6 is in turn reciprocated by the connecting member H8 secured to one end of the lever Ii! which is pivoted as at I20 to the frame of the machine. At'its other end Hi, the lever H9 is secured as by means of the link I22 and the connecting member 123 to the reciprocating rod (Figs. 1 and 2).

It will be seen that as the crank disc rotates and reciprocates the rod 39, the lever ii! is oscillated, thereby sliding-the rods 8, L Hi, and thereby causing reciprocation oi the lever 94 at the proper time to dismount the straightened tube from the mandrel 28, audio further dismount the straightened'waste member 90, the engaging member 98 being sufficiently long for that purpose and engaging with the tube with sufficient friction to hold it while-lbslidss nevertheless on the mandrel, the'member 88 cooperating with the mandrel to hold the tube therebetween during the dismounting operation.

It will be remembered that the tip B ol the mandrel has been threaded into the inner .face

of the neck 14 0f the tube and-that the tubccannot be dismounted from the mandrel without first being disengaged from saldtip. It is'forrhis reason that the dismounting mandrel is rotated in adirection opposite to that-in which theremaining mandrels are rotated. When the lever 94, therefore, is rocked so that its engaging member 98 engages the tube, the tube is held stationary by'said' member by reason of. the frictional engagement thereof during the continuous rotation of the mandrel in the proper direction first to disengage the tip from the tube neck.

It is only after this disengagement has been completed that the lever 94 is moved toward the right to dismount the tube.

After the dismounting operation has been canpleted, the turret is again rotated by means of the mutilated gears .62 and M to bring the mandrel 28 into the position of the mandrel 2!, ready for the mounting of a new tube'thereon and a cycle of operations abovemdescrlbed is automatically repeated.

4 As has been above indicated, the dismounted tube falls on the chute 9! and rolls'downagainst the angle plate I24, the tubes being guided by-flhe adjustable angle plated" seoured tosaid chute whereby movement of the rod H4 causes similar so as to maintain the row of tubes insuhstantially aligned position as indicated in Fig. 1.

The end tube of the row isthen transferred for further operation thereon either to another mechanism such as a conveyor, printing or enameling machine, or to a suitable receiving plate as I26. The transfer or forwarding of the tubes is accomplished automatically through the reciprocating rod I21, which is connected by the connecting member I28 to the reciprocating. rod I29, said rod being, in turn connected to the rod Ill as by means of the connecting member I3I. The rod I3fl'is in turn reciprocatedthrough its connection as at I32 to the reciprocating rod H6. It will therefore be seen that as the rod H6 is reciprocated, as previously described, the rod I21 is similarly reciprocated. In its extreme position toward the right, said rod I2! is out of the way of the row of tubes which roll down the chute 92 until the last tube of the row rests against the stop plate I24,

. 0n thereciprocation of the rod I21 toward the left, the end I33 of said rod engages the neck end of the tube and forwards said tube toward the left either on to asuitable mandrel or conveyor or on to. the plate I26, where the'tubesmay be inspected and again mounted on mechanism for performing further operations such as printing, enamelling or the like.

Since the threading and end trimming opera tions result in the accumulation of shavings on the bed of the machine, I prefer to provide means for sweeping the bed free of such shavings after each rotation of the turret. This is accomplished by the sweeping lever I pivoted to thebed as at lit and having a lug IE2 upstanding in the path ,of the left end I63 of the mandrel 2B. As said mandrel is swung toward the position of the mandrel '21, the lug I" is engaged and the lever Iilloscillatedagainst the action of the spring I to sweep the bed clean.

It will be seen that I have provided automatic mechanism for mounting tubes fed continuously to-the machine, for performing the various finishing operations on the tubes automatically, for dismounting the tubes andfor then forwarding the, tubes for further operation thereon.

while I haveshown and described a certain specific embodiment of my machine, it will be understood that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I- therefore do not intend to limit myself to the embodiment shown and described but intendto claim my invention as broadly as may be permitted by the state of the prior art and the scope of the appended claims. 1

I claim:

. 1. m a tube finishing machine, a turret intermittently revoluble between a series of stations, .a series of revoluble mandrels carried by the turret, means for mounting a thin, collapsible tube on a mandrel at one station, means. for trimming bothends of the tube at the next-station, and to separate a cylindrical waste piece from the remainder of the tube, means for threading the neck of the tube at the next succeeding station, a tube -engaging member, and means for moving the member coaxially of and also toward the mandrel into'engagement'with, the outermost cylindrical surfaces of the tube and the waste piece for automatically dismounting the finished tube and the waste piece simultaneouslysat the last station, after, the tube'fhas been mounted, trimmed, and

threaded;

h 2. Ina' tube finishing machine, a continuously revoluble mandrel, means for aligning a series of tubes including a plate anda stop, a reciprocatory rod for engaging the neck end of one of the aligned tubes and for pushing said tube upon the mandrel, means for advancing said mandrel, means for trimming both ends of the tube to separate an end waste portion from the remainder of the tube, said waste portion remaining on mandrel, means for threading the neck of the tube, and means for dismounting the tube and the waste piece simultaneously from the mandrel comprising a reciprocating armfor engaging the outermost surfaces of the tube and the waste piece and for moving said tube and waste piece axially of themandrel.

3. Ina collapsible tube finishing machine, a mandrel, means for mounting a thin, soft metal, collapsible tube upon the mandrel, means for trimming both ends of the tube andfor threading the neck thereof, and means for dismountingjthe tube from the mandrel including a reciprocating arm having a comparatively soft, yieldable, con cave, cylindrical surface for engaging the outer cylindrical surface of the tube, and means for moving said arm axially of the mandrel and toward and from the mandrel. a

4. In-a collapsible tube finishing machine, a mandrel, and means for dismouting'acollapsible tube which is substantially non-resistant to def ormation from the mandrel comprising areciprocatory arm terminating in a comparatively soft surface adapted to engage the surface of the tube .frictionally with sufficient pressure to move said ,area of the surface of the tube, and means for moving said member axially of and, away from the mandrel to carry the tube off the mandrel.

6. In a collapsible tube finishing machine, a continuously rotatable mandrel terminating in a threaded tip engagingthe hollow neck of an easily deformable collapsible tube, and means for disengaging the tube from the tip and for dismounting the tube from the mandrel comprising a member movable into engagement with a substantial area of the surface of the tube and therebyhalting the rotation of the tube to remove the threaded tip of the mandrel from the tube, andmeans for moving said member axially of the mandrel after it has engaged said tube surface, for then moving the member outwardly and away from the mandrel, and for then moving the. member axially'of the mandrel and toward its initial position.

7. In, a collapsible tube finishing machine; a serieszof revoluble mandrels movable fromstation to station, means for continuously rotating said mandrels at allbut one of the in the same-direction, means for rotating the mandrel at one station in the opposite direction, means for mounting a tube on a mandrel at one station, means for trimming both ends of the tubeanclto separate an open end portion of the-tube from the remainder of the tube at the next station, means for threading the neck of the tube and for straightening the indented ends of. the tube and end portion at the next succeeding station, means him the rotationotthe tube at the station" as which the mandrel rotatesin said opposite disettlers to disengage the tube from the mandrel, mam arm or sufllcient length to Willie surfaces of the tube and said end portion and being reciprocation in a direction axially er toremove the tube and end portl'le'mandrel, andmeans for advancing the tilb'' after it has been removed from the man- .ngly a my; machine, a mandrel, W les Wing thin, soft metal, collapsible lawlfleclete me ends'of the tube for dismounting tle tube from the mandrel, and reciprocatory assessor advancing the tube after it has been El in a tube-flnishing machine, a mandrel to s pport a collapsible tube, and an osand r'eciprocatory tube-engaging memwerliavlag a surface adapted to be brought into mm with the surface of the tube, and mealii'fer'm'oving the member after it has been "mt irltoengagement with the tube surface for removing the tube from the mandrel.

Mills a tnbefln'lshlng machine, a rotatable terminating in a threaded tip, and mpfid' to support a tube of'greater diameter of the mandrel by the engagement of "saidflp W'lthdil'it hollow neck of the tube, and

means for disengaging the tube from the tip of themflndrel me for removing the tube comprislug d'mmberadapted to be brought into engagbflbnt with the surface of the tube and thereby to halt the rotation thereof to disengage the threaded tip from the tube, and means for reciproe'htmg' said member after it has been brought into engagement with the tube.

12. In a machine for operating upon thin metallic collapsible tubes, a tube-dismounting arm, a lining on said arm of comparatively soft yieldable material having a concave tube-engaging surface, means for carrying said lining into engagement with the cylindrical surface of the tube, and means for reciprocating said arm.

13. In a machine for operating upon thin metallic collapsible tubes, a reciprocatory tube-dismounting arm, and a comparatively soft lining on said arm adapted to engage frictionally a substantial area of the outer cylindrical surface of a tube.

14. In a machine for operating upon thin metalllc collapsible tubes, a mandrel, a dismounting arm provided with a. concave area, a spring acting on the arm to urge it in one direction relatively to the mandrel, and means for moving said arm in the other direction relatively to the mandrel whereby said area is alternately drawn into engagement with the correspondingly shaped cylindrical area of a tube on the mandrel and releases said tube.

15. In a machine for operating upon thin cylindrical metallic collapsible tubes, a mandrel, a tube-engaging dismounting arm adapted to coopdate withsaid-mandrel for frlotionaliy engaging anal-ea oithe cylindrical surface of a tube held on the mandrel, and means for sliding the arm coaxial-1y of the mandrel during its engagement with thetube and thereby'dismounting the tube from tne'mandrel'. 1 6. In a machinefor operating upon thin metallic collapsible tubes, a tube-dismounting arm having a concave area, and means for oscillating said in one direction to carry the area into pressed engagement with the cylindrical surface of a tube, for time sliding said tube bodily in a given direction under the frictional pressure on said cylindrical surface, for then oscillating'the arm in the other direction, and for then sliding said not in the opposite from the given direction.

17. In a machine for mating upon thin metallic collapsible tubes, a tube-dismounting am: having a concave area, and a layer of friction material on said arm adapted to frictionally engage the cylindrical surface of a tube to move the tube on the movement of said arm.

18. In a machine for operating upon thin metallic collapsible tubes, a tube-supporting mandrel, an oscillatory and reciprocatory tube-engaging arm having aconcave area adapted to n age part of the convex cylindrical surface of a tube for dismounting the tube from the mandrel, and means for advancing the dismounted tube for further operation thereon.

19.-In amachine for operating upon thin metallic collapsible tubes, 9. tube-supporting mandrel, a dismounting arm adapted to be brought into frictional engagement with a tube on said mandrel, an inclined tube-supporting plate below and beyond the mandrel, and means for reciprocating the arm to a position over saidplate after the arm has been brought into engagement with the tube for dismounting the tube from the mandrei and for forwarding the tube on to said plate.

20. In a machine for operating upon thin metallic collapsible tubes, a tube-supporting mandrel, a dismounting arm adapted to be brought into frictional-engagement with a tube on said mandrel, an inclined tube-supporting plate below and beyond the mandrel, means for reciprocating the arm to a position over said plate after the arm has been brought into engagement with the tube for dismounting the tube from the mandrel and for forwarding the tube on to said plate, a stop at the lower end of the plate, and means for advancing the tube after it has rolled down into engagement with said stop.

21. In a machine for finishing thin, soft metal. collapsible tubes, a, rotatable tube-supporting mandrel, a tube-supporting plate below and beyond the mandrel, a tube-aligning stop adjacent said plate, a tube-mounting rod, mechanism connected to a moving part of the machine and to said rod for reciprocating the rod to engage one end of a tube supported by said plate and to mount the tube on the mandrel, means for severing the other end portion of the tube while the tube is on the mandrel, said end portion being retained on the mandrel, a tube dismounting arm provided with a surface adapted to be brought into engagement with the surfaces of the tube and of the severed end portion, and mechanism connected to a moving part of the machine for reciprocating the arm after it has been brought into engagement with the tube and the end portion to dismount the tube and the end portion from the mandrel.

22. In a machine for operating upon thin metallic collapsible tubes, a tube-supporting mandrel, adismounting arm adapted to be brought into frictional engagement with the upper part of the outermost surface of a tube on said mandrel, said arm being arranged adjacent said mandrel, and means for reciprocating the arm through a distance substantially equal to the length of the tube vafter the arm has been brought into engagement with the tubesurface for dismounting the tube from the mandrel.

23. In a machine for operating upon thin metallic collapsible tubes, a tube-supporting mandrel, means for trimming the open end of the tube to form a plane end thereon and to separate a tubular waste piece therefrom, and means for dismounting the tube and the waste piece from the mandrel simultaneously including a movable member adapted to engage the tube and the waste piece.

24. In a machine for operating upon thin metallic collapsible tubes, a tube-supporting mandrel, means beyond and below the mandrel for sup-- porting and aligning a series of tubes, a reciprocating rod, mechanism connected to a moving part of the machine for reciprocating the rod to push upon the adjacent end of thealigned tube and to mount said tube upon the mandrel, means for trimming the other end of the tube and to separate a waste piece therefrom, means for advancing the mandrel into tube-dismounting position, a reciprocating arm for dismounting the tube and the waste piece from the mandrel, a tubesupporting plate for the dismounted tubes below and adjacent the dismounting position of the mandrel, and a reciprocating rod operatively connected to a moving part of the machine for advancing the dismounted tube from said plate.

25. In a machine for operating upon thin metallic collapsible tubes, a tube-supporting mandrel, means for finishing the tube, means for dismount ing the finished tube from the mandrel, a tubesupportlng plate adjacent the mandrel and adapted to receive the finished dismounted tube, and

" reciprocating means for removing the finished tube from said plate and for advancing the tube. 1

26. In a collapsible-tube-finishingmachine, a rotatable tube-supporting mandrel, a member adapted to be brought into frictional engagement with'a part of the outer cylindrical surface of the tube to halt the rotation oi. the tube with the mandrel, and means for reciprocating said member while said member engages said surface to remove the tube from the mandrel.

27. In a collapsible tube finishing machine, a mandrel, means for mounting a tube on the mandrel, means for trimming the tube and for severing an end piece therefrom, reciprocatory means for simultaneously dismounting the tube and the end piece from the mandrel, a plate adjacent the mandrel for. receiving the dismounted tube, and reciprocatory means cooperating with the plate for advancing the tube, after it has been dismounted on to the plate.

28. In a collapsible" tube finishing machine, a, mandrel adapted to support a tube, a movable member adapted to engage part of the outer cylindrical surface of the tube, and means for first moving the member into engagement with the tube surface and for then sliding the member out of its initial position and axially of the mandrel in one direction, then to move the member away from the mandrel and to slide said member in the opposite direction back to its initial position.

29. In a collapsible tube finishing machine, a mandrel adapted to support a tube, means including a movable member for engaging part of the outer cylindrical surface of the tube, and means for removing the tube from the mandrel including means for sliding the member axially ofthe mandrel in one direction, then to move the memberaway from the axis of the mandrel and to slide said member back in the opposite direction.

30. In a machine for operating upon thin collapsible tubes, a tube-supporting mandrel, a partly cylindrical member adapted to be brought into firm engagement with the surface of the tube on the mandrel, and means for first moving the member relatively to and toward the mandrel and into engagement with the surface of the tube and then to move the tube and the member as a unit bodily in the direction of the axis of the mandrel to dismount the tube from the mandrel.

WALTER PRUSSING. 

